A resilient rail fastener having a clip having a lower leg with a toe at one end and a heel at the other, an upstanding back portion between the heel and an upper leg, and a rectangular locating aperture in at least one of its legs which engages over a rectangular retaining block. The retaining block has pressure imparting means projecting from each side and bearing downwardly on the upper leg of the clip and thereby applies a downward pressure at each end of the lower leg. One end of the lower leg bears downwardly on the rail support and the other end on the rail to impart a toe pressure. The reduced cross-sectional area of the clip where it passes over the retaining block causes high stresses in the legs of the clip as well as at the locality of the clip heel, and the upstanding back portion has less stress than a hairpin clip, and this results in a lower spring rate for the toe clip so that toe pressure is retained upon rail settlement, and stress corrosion is reduced.